CHAPTER NINETEEN, concert in a can

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Emilia sighed, shutting her locker as she heard the sound of Chase suspiciously playing the guitar really well, before she went to walk past the boys, not having seen the new kid next to them, when she was pulled away by Leo.

"Can you stop that?!" Emilia screeched. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Leo pulled her further away. "Nothing is wrong with me. But, you know Marcus?" He sighed, earning a nod from the girl. "Yes, what about him? You don't like him, do you?" She asked in theory since she knew him too well.

"He's weird. He forgot we were lab partners." He explained, which Emilia nodded at him. "If you think he's acting odd, then just keep an eye on him, but don't do that creepy thing you do. But, please leave me out of it. I don't wanna get involved in your boy drama." She sighed before muttering. "Where's Bree when you need her?"

She spotted the girl at the end of the hall, near where the boys were making her gasp, before walking away. "Bye Leo." He looked at his friend with his mouth agape. "No fair."

"Bree!" Emilia called out to the girl who smiled back in return. "Come on, let's go before we get involved with their boy gossip." Bree laughed as Emilia linked her arm through hers before walking away.

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Back at home, Emilia was laying on her bed wearing headphones over her ears, to shut out the loud music that the boys were making downstairs. Not making any progress, she groaned while pulling her headphones off before strutting out her room to see how their concert thing is going.

She sighed as her feet plodded down the stairs before speaking up when the boys were finally in her sight. "Can you guys keep it down? I'm happy you guys are finding your inner rockstar but come on. I'm sick of hearing— Ah!" She ranted, only to scream when she spotted Leo creepily peering over Marcus' shoulder. "Leo, I thought I told you to stop that?!"

Marcus looked behind him, not even fazed by the boy as Chase looked at him with an amused smile and asked. "Leo, what are you doing?"

"Just asking Marcus a few questions." Leo said, eying the boy before starting to randomly question him. "Where were you born? What is your birthday? Who is the President of Venezuela?"

"Vene— what?" Emilia muttered, narrowing her eyes at the Dooley boy.

"I don't know."

"Aha! So, he's not from Venezuela." Leo thought out loud. Emilia sighed, moving towards them as she placed her hands on Leo's shoulders before moving him aside and sending Marcus an apologetic look. "Sorry, he does this thing where he likes to get to know the new kids. But, sometimes he goes too far," She narrowed her eyes at Leo. "and it gets annoying." She looked back up at Marcus and scoffed out a fake chuckle, before Adam and Chase stepped forward.

"Okay, that's it. This practice just became band members only." Chase declared, before his eyes met Emilia's. "Lia, you can stay if you want, since you're not annoying anybody."

Emilia politely declined. "No, it's okay. I'd rather do something else than watched boys trying to play instruments." She looked at Leo who chimed in. "Well, then. I guess I'm in the band."

"Leo, you don't even know how to play an instrument." Chase reminded him.

"That's where you're wrong." Leo pointed out to him with a smile before deciding to put on a show for them, to demonstrate how he can play instruments which consisted of him banging a tambourine against his butt, playing with a washboard, the maracas, the accordion, and finally the cello.

The boy held his arms out with a smile, once he finished, as to which Emilia hummed in response before telling the boy. "Like Chase said, you don't even know how to play an instrument." She sighed before announcing. "I'm gonna go now. See you boys later."

She walked out the room, leaving Chase to watch her go. He was slightly afraid of how Emilia would feel about Marcus, whether it was a friend way or worse a crush, but so far, his crush had found no love interest in Marcus, which was and wasn't going to lie, good in his opinion.

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Donald had walked through the front door to see the boys playing a song with different instruments. He turned the speaker off before interrupting. "Hey, hey, hey, hey! You know, it's not enough to just play notes, you want to get them in the right order."

Adam played a rim shot just as Emilia walked in exclaiming. "Thank you!" The auburn-haired girl narrowed her eyes in confusion, moving her hair out of her face as Marcus started to fanboy over Donald. "Omg, you're Donald Davenport."

Donald scoffed out a chuckle, wearing a smug smile on his face. "Guilty as charged."

Marcus stepped towards him while he continued to fanboy. "The genius billionaire scientific entrepreneur!" Donald threw out his arm while chiming in. "Don't forget multi-lingual mega star."

"Oh, Gracias." Marcus smiled, in which Donald pointed a finger at him while replying to the teen boy. "De nada."

Emilia rolled her eyes. "Boy, that ego."

"Wow, Mr Davenport, I'd love to hear your theory on Plasma Gasification." Marcus pointed out, in which Donald scoffed out a breath. "Who wouldn't?"

Emilia raised her hand in the air before calling out. "Ooh, me!"

Donald sent her a look before turning back to the boys while suggesting. "Hey, you know, Bree and I were gonna demo the holo-pet for Career Day. But since you guys have a band, maybe we can demo my concert-in-a-can instead! That'll be such a great surprise for her!"

Emilia frowned, remembering how Bree was so excited earlier about spending time with him, because he's always with the boys.

"That is good." Marcus chuckled. "What is it?"

"It's a can that creates a virtual holographic concert experience. It's something I designed for those of us who would be rock stars if we weren't busy being brilliant inventors." Donald explained, managing to brag about himself once again, in which Marcus smiled. "Well, you're a rock star to me."

Donald laughed in response. "I know."

Emilia cleared her throat. "Uh, I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe stick with the holo-pet thing." She tried to tell him, knowing something like this would hurt Bree.

Donald shook his head. "It's fine, Emilia. Bree is gonna love this." She groaned before running after him.

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Later on, Emilia caught up with Bree and was currently standing by her table as the speedster waited for Donald. Two people approached the table, watching as the brunette was staring ahead sulking until she spoke, more louder than usual while reminding them. "I have a dad! He's coming. Just busy... with his career."

"Speak of the devil." Emilia muttered, her eyes lingered on Donald who walked towards them.

Bree jumped out of her hair. "Ohh! Where have you been? First I said you were in the bathroom, and then I said you were in the car, and then I said you were going to the bathroom in the car. People are starting to think you're weird." She ranted in frustration.

"Look, I'm here now and I have a big surprise. I made a small change. We're doing something completely different!" Donald informed the girl, as Emilia sighed, knowing this is gonna go bad.

The smile fell off Bree's face. "What is it?"

"Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise. Just applaud when the lights come up." Donald said, backing away with Bree calling after him. "But we planned this together! What—" She sighed before telling the people who looked her way. "He'll be back. He's new at this."

Standing behind her chair, Emilia slammed her hands onto the table while glaring at one of the girls. "Suzy, your mom delivers cat food in an 18-wheeler. Are you really gonna judge her?" She huffed, sitting down on the chair as Bree sent her a grateful smile before leaning her head on her shoulder.

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After following Bree, who angrily looked around the school for Donald, they had finally found him in the hall. "Ohh! Where have you been? Have you been over here with the boys this entire time? I should have known. You always do things with them."

Bree walked off towards her table, which Donald followed her, leaving Emilia alone so she could give them privacy.

"Bree, this is so not true."

"And now, for your career day entertainment, Concert in a can... can... can... featuring Adam, Marcus, and Chase... Chase... Chase..."

"Okay, I had nothing to do with that whatsoever. I—" The man tried to defend, only to be interrupted by the introduction. "Brought to you by Donald Davenport... port... port... port."

"Hmm. It kinda sorta sounds like you did... did... did..." Bree sassed back, as Emilia went to sit down next to her, before looking towards the centre of the room when the invention started up, and behind the boys, was what looked like a lit up stage and a virtual crowd cheering. Adam started up the countdown with his drumsticks before the three of them started playing.

Emilia looked up with an annoyed expression as Donald danced to the music. "I thought you would like this! It was a surprise! Look! Everybody thinks it's cool."

Emilia sighed as Bree responded. "I don't care what all these people think. I just wanted to do something with you. Like that girl and her dad... and them. We get it! Your mom's a foot doctor! Get your feet off there, that's where we eat!"

"But that all looks boring."

"Yeah. It is really boring." Bree began to say and let out a sigh. "But they're doing it together— which is all I really wanted out of today."

Donald sighed. "Okay. I think I know a way, if you'll please let me make it up to you."

Soon enough, Emilia was watching Donald and Bree play on the virtual stage with her fingers sticking in her ears. She was glad the two had made up, but the sound was terrible to hear. "Is it over?" She asked Chase who sat beside her, with his head on his arms.

"Nope." Adam spoke loudly as the two began to play again, making Emilia groan while using one of her hands to pat Chase's back while trying to shut out the music.

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Career Day had finally ended. And they were all just about packing up when Leo strolled in with a determined look on his face as he made his presence known. "Well, well, well. If it isn't my old friend Marcus."

"Sorry, Leo, you're too late. We've safely packed away all the guitars. Maybe now you can find something else to break. Ha ha ha! 'Cause you broke the guitar." Emilia furrowed her brows in confusion before Leo spoke up. "Excuse me, I would like everyone's attention right here. I have proof from our home security system."

Eddy appeared. "Hi!"

"Now watch, as I—" Leo said, but was interrupted by Marcus who suddenly uttered. "I have a confession to make." Leo looked at him with widened eyes while saying. "Oh no, you don't."

"I did it. I broke the guitar." Marcus confessed, in which Leo loudly spoke. "That's not fair. I was gonna crack this case wide open!"

"Ha! He got you again!" Eddy cackled, as Donald and Bree approached them with the former wondering. "What's going on here?"

"I broke my guitar and blamed it on Leo." Marcus answered before continuing. "I owe everyone an apology."

"You broke the guitar? Why didn't you just say so?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, why didn't you just say so?" Leo chimed in, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Pipe down, little man." Emilia said, nudging his arm before Marcus made up an excuse and told them. "Because I had already cracked the guitar, but if my dad knew that I broke it I'd be in so much trouble because my family is so poor and I just want everyone to like me because I'm always the new kid. So I made everyone think that Leo did it, because I'm so scared and it's so hard to make friends and I'm just a dumb kid compared to all of you and my grandma just died!"

Emilia furrowed her brows, not really sure what to say after that, when Donald asked. "Are you crying? Is he crying?" Bree looked at the boy before telling him. "It's okay, Marcus."

"Yeah, it's no big deal." Donald chimed in, before Chase continued on." "We don't think you're dumb."

"Yeah, and your grandma didn't die." Everyone sent Adam a wide-eyed look at his comment before Donald pulled the new boy aside. "Marcus, why don't you come out and have dinner with us?"

"Mm-kay." Marcus uttered. "You guys go ahead. I want to apologise to Leo." The others walked out, leaving Leo alone with Marcus, not one of them aware of Emilia hiding behind the doors.

"Well?" Leo started, and his face dropped, seeing Marcus cock up a brow to him while practically laughing. "You didn't actually think I was gonna apologise, did you? They totally believed me. My grandma's not dead— She's in Miami playing shuffleboard."

"What is wrong with you? Why are you doing this?" Leo questioned the boy, in which Marcus cocked up one of his brows again. "It's a long story. But, let's just say... you're in my way. Oh— and if you ever try and rat me out again... You're toast, for real."

"Not on my watch." Emilia muttered in anger, and ran off before Marcus could see her. She had only seen the start of it, but she knew one thing.

Marcus was up to no good.

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MEGAN SPEAKS!

hope you enjoyed this chapter!! only one more now until i've finished season one!! <3